Amber's No Good, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
by marehami
Summary: When Princess Amber has a bad day she finds comfort from a surprising source.


"Finally done!" Amber declared proudly as she slammed the book shut with a deep satisfaction.

"And James said that I couldn't read ten whole volumes of Enchancian History and Diplomacy in one morning!" Amber gloated to herself.

She looked at the clock on the wall and realized that she had been locked in isolation for several hours now. It was well past time for a break, and she knew exactly how she wanted to spend it.

"Daddy? Oh daddy? How about a game of Blazing Badminton? I have our rackets and-"

Amber was crestfallen to find her father in the middle of fencing practice with James and Sofia.

She was tempted to interrupt him, but remembering her history with the wishing well, she thought better of it.

She lingered in the doorway for several minutes watching wistfully. Deep down she knew it wasn't true, but sometimes she couldn't help but think that Sofia was really the daughter her father had always wanted. She was more adventurous and a bigger thrill seeker. She loved dresses and tiaras as much as the next princess, but she tended to be more versatile than Amber. She knew how to fence too, but it was such a chore for her. It was nothing more than a boring elective she had to complete to graduate.

Amber strived everyday to become a better Princess, future Queen, and person, but sometimes she felt like she would never be as good as Sofia. That no matter what people really would like Sofia better. She would never tell James this, but some nights his words of liking Sofia better than her still stung. He had never formally apologized, even after all this time. Amber wondered if it was because maybe he still meant it.

She couldn't bear the sadness anymore and walked away before anyone noticed her.

She walked the long and lonely hallways. Before long she heard laughter coming from one of the many rooms, it didn't take her long to recognize the warm laughter as her mothers.

That's when it hit Amber; she had to share her dad with Sofia, but Sofia had to share her mother with her.

Sofia and her mom were close and even though Miranda was attentive to her and James it was rare to get time just the two of them.

She was yet again crestfallen to see her mother having tea with some of the other queens. Amber may be a future queen, but she wasn't one yet. She doubted they would want anything to do with her, so she turned before she had a chance to embarrass herself.

She was so lost in loneliness and despair she couldn't hear Miranda call her name.

As one last result she sought out Baileywick, the kindly steward was one of Amber's dearest allies. He was like a second father to her, and of the other residents in the castle he was probably most similar to Amber. They both admired the finer things in life and took peace and comfort in things being orderly. She was dismayed to find a note that read, "gone fishing" on his door.

She was truly alone.

Defeated she retreated back to her room, hoping to get some early stargazing in before dinner.

Along the way she collided with Cedric in the hall.

She sighed, but at this point she was desperate.

"Umm hi Mr. Cedric," she said daintily picking herself up from the floor.

"Oh hello Princess Amber, have you seen Sofia? I'm working on some new spells and I require my apprentice!" Cedric didn't really _require_ Sofia's assistance, but he adored her company.

Just like everyone today.

Amber took a deep breath, "last I saw she was fencing with daddy and James, but you know if you want I always got good grades in sorcery so maybe I could help."

Cedric couldn't hold back a laugh, "that's cute dear, but you are no Sofia!"

No she wasn't, and it was the straw that finally broke Amber's back.

She burst into tears as she ran into her room and slammed the door, collapsing on her bed in a pool of sobs. She hadn't cried this hard since the night of Sofia's inaugural ball.

She curled into her covers and continued sobbing. The covers felt good, almost like the hug she had longed to receive all day.

She then reached over on her nightstand and grabbed a small portrait.

It was of her mother.

Amber wouldn't dare tell her daddy this, but she still thought of her mother often.

She loved her stepmother, and never knew her real mother, but it was impossible to not feel a connection to the woman.

She looked just like Amber.

That's why the conjoining of families hit Amber hardest.

Suddenly someone else was her daddy's queen, and another girl was daddy's princess.

Thinking about this only made Amber cry harder.

She must have cried herself to sleep, because the next thing she knew Baileywick was gently shaking her awake.

"Princess Amber? Are you all right? You didn't come when the dinner bell rang…everyone's worried about you…" the steward said upon noticing the tissues and Amber's typical bright eyes being dull and red. It was clear that something was wrong with the girl.

"They shouldn't waste their energy being worried about me…after all I'm not Sofia…I'm not hungry Baileywick…" she whimpered.

Baileywick looked both confused and sad for the girl who was clearly not herself.

"Are you certain you aren't hungry? We're having giggly pudding for dessert, that's you and your father's favorite you know."

Amber only moaned a confirmation that she wasn't leaving the comfort of her bed.

The steward reluctantly left the girl be, this is why he didn't go on fishing days with Nigel more often.

When Baileywick returned without Amber Roland instantly stood up.

"Where's Amber?" he asked concerned.

"She regrets that she isn't feeling up for joining you for dinner this evening," Baileywick stated.

"Is she ill? Summon the doctor at once!" Roland ordered.

"With all respect your majesty I don't believe Amber is physically ill…she's just feeling depressed."

"Depressed?" Roland asked clueless, "she can't be depressed, she would have told me if she was."

Roland took pride in the fact that Amber told him everything.

"Have you seen her today? I've been out fishing all day, so I wouldn't know."

"I know she spent all morning reading after I challenged her," James said.

"And dad was fencing with us all afternoon," Sofia said quietly.

"I was busy with my book club," Miranda commented.

"And she began to cry when I wouldn't let her practice spells with me…I told her she wasn't Sofia, so I didn't want to work with her," Cedric confessed sadly.

Roland shot Cedric a threatening glance, as if telling him he better never make his daughter cry again.

Sofia snapped him out of it, "poor Amber…she must be feeling awful after all that."

"I'll go talk to her," Miranda offered standing.

"No, I should go," Roland, said.

"Rolly, dear, maybe after today it would be a good idea to let us girls talk alone," Miranda said.

"I'll go too mom!" Sofia offered.

"No Sofia, I think I should go alone. Today dad spent time with you and now I need to spend time with Amber."

Sofia was worried about her sister, but conceded that her mother was probably right.

Amber had stopped crying enough to try to get herself up to look at the stars through her telescope, but was dismayed to see that the stars were hiding behind clouds.

"Fantastic, even the stars are against me today," Amber mumbled.

At that moment there was a knock at the door.

"Amber? It's mom, can I come in?"

Amber was startled. She didn't expect to hear from her mother, she quickly wiped her face the best she could. She was going to be queen so she needed to look and act like one, even in front of her mother.

"Come in mother!" she called.

When Miranda entered Amber had to admit that she was shocked that Sofia hadn't followed. Her sister seemed to always be more than eager to try to solve everyone's problems, so she was surprised that Sofia had backed off this time.

"I heard you had a rough day, would you like to talk about it?" Miranda offered.

"Oh…no thank you mother, I'm just fine…actually getting ready for bed," Amber said, hoping to get her mother to leave.

No such luck as Miranda simply went over to sit on her daughter's bed, still covered in snot-filled tissues.

"You know when Sofia used to have bad days, I used to braid her hair to make her feel better," Miranda said.

Amber was surprised someone like Sofia even had bad days.

"Would you like to try it?" she offered.

Amber had to admit it sounded nice, the maids typically braided her hair growing up, and she soon took to doing it herself, but she always wanted a mom to do it for her.

She hesitantly went and sat on the bed beside Miranda as her gentle hands softly braided the hair.

The two remained in comfortable silence for awhile before Miranda noticed something on the bed.

"Oh…this is beautiful," she commented as she picked it up.

It was the picture of Amber's mother.

Amber blushed, unsure of what to say.

"She was such a wonderful queen," Miranda commented.

Amber looked shocked, "you knew her?"

Miranda smiled, "not personally, but remember I've lived in the village my whole life, so I did know of her. She was so elegant and beautiful…very much like you," Miranda said lightly tapping Amber's nose.

"When your father and I…when I found out I was going to be queen…I was terrified I would never be as good a queen as she was."

This took Amber by surprise. She hadn't considered that while Sofia adjusted to being a princess, Miranda had to make adjustments too.

"She was smart too…very diplomatic. I see that quality in you. In fact, I would say that next to your father you are the most diplomatic and quick thinking person I know."

Amber was stunned, was her mother subtly implying that there were still things that she was the _best_ at?

"There you go! A fishnet braid, I know it's not the most elegant braid out there but I-"

"I LOVE IT! THANK YOU MOTHER!" Amber cried as she embraced her.

Miranda reciprocated and kissed the top of her head, "I'm sorry you had a rough day."

Amber dismissively waved her hand, "it was no big deal mother…but do you think that we could do this again sometime? Maybe when I'm having a better day?"

"you can count on it Amber."


End file.
